Starting out as a two-minute sketch on Idle’s post-Monty Python comedy show, Rutland Weekend Television, The Rutles took on a life of their own when Saturday Night Live supremo Lorne Michaels produced a feature-length “mockumentary” on the rise and fall of the Prefab Four.
A brilliantly realised parody of The Beatles, All You Need Is Cash told the story of Dirk, Stig, Ron and Barry and their figure-hugging strides and took specific episodes of the moptops’ existence and lampooned them with style and hilarity.
Eric Idle played Dirk (modelled after Paul McCartney), Ricky Fataar played Stig (the George Harrison-inspired character), Neil Innes played Ron Nasty (based on John Lennon) and John Halsey was Barry Wom (real name Barrington Womble). The character’s truncated name was a play on how Ringo changed his name from Richard Starkey to Ringo Starr.
Whereas John Lennon said The Beatles were bigger than Jesus, Ron Nasty claims his band are bigger than God – only he’s been misheard and he means Rod, as in Stewart, who won’t be big for several years.
Cameos from the likes of Mick and Bianca Jagger, Paul Simon, George Harrison himself, Ron Wood, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray (as disc jockey Bill Murray The K) added to the fun, but the pieces de resistance were Neil Innes’ wonderful songs (Ouch!, Please Please Hold My Hand, Get Up And Go), affectionately packed with instantly recognisable Beatles motifs.
Ron Nasty
Neil Innes
Dirk McQuickly
Eric Idle
Stig O’Hara
Ricky Fataar
Barrington ‘Barry Wom’ Womble
John Halsey
Leggy Mountbatten
Terence Bayler
Narrator
Eric Idle
Eric Manchester
Michael Palin
Archie MaCaw
Frank Williams
Dick Jaws
Barry Cryer
Adrian Jons
Dan Aykroyd
Ron Decline
John Belushi
Martini
Bianca Jagger
Chastity/Mrs Iris Mountbatten
Gwen Taylor
Penelope
Penelope Tree
H.M. the Queen
Jeanette Charles
Leppo
Ollie Halsall
Bill Murray the K
Bill Murray
Mrs Emily Pules
Gilda Radner
Blind Lemon Pye
Jerome Green
Rambling Orange Peel
Bob Gibson
Mrs Peel
Pat Perkins
Interviewer
George Harrison
Stanley J. Krammerhead III Jnr
Eric Idle
Mick Jagger
Himself
Paul Simon
Himself
Arthur Sultan
Henry Wood
Roger McGough
Himself
Hells Angel
Ron Wood
Director
Gary Weis
Eric Idle
